Chapter 29 #2
I lie for a few more minutes, it’s raining and really coming down outside. There’s thunder rumbling in the distance and the sky is dark. Eventually I drag myself out of bed and walk into the bathroom and catch sight of myself in the mirror and wince as I pull my hair up into a high bun.
I turn on the shower and get in under the hot water. The room fills with steam and I smile into the heat, my favorite way to start the day.
Ring, ring…. Ring, ring…. My phone vibrates across the counter.
I walk out of the shower dripping wet to see that it’s Philippe. “Hello,” I answer.
“Hi, Alora, we’re at the front door. Edward said you had some extra things that needed carrying out to the car this morning.”
Oh crap, they’re at the front door in the pouring rain and I’m not even ready.
“I’m just in the shower, Philippe, you have a key, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Let yourself in and have a cup of coffee, I’ll be about fifteen minutes.”
“Alright then.”
I hang up and rush back through my shower, damn it I haven’t even packed.
“Thanks for today.” I smile to Jonty as I lock the store door.
It’s been a productive day and we got so much done.
We moved the store around, got in four deliveries and sold two large armoires, three big mirrors and nearly every lamp we had in stock.
I am thoroughly exhausted and for once am happy that I don’t have to cook dinner tonight.
The blacked-out car is across the road, the waiting guards sit inside as they patiently wait.
The rain has thrown everything out today, the guards haven’t been able to walk around the street as usual and I’m sure they have gone a little stir-crazy being cooped up in a car or in the front of my store.
As per Edward’s instructions I have packed a few bags of my things and the boys put them in the trunk this morning and I will be staying with him in Monaco most nights from here on in.
I’m a little sad to be leaving my place here in Nice, but I’ll be going back there every day or two to water my garden before or after work and we will stay there a night or two each week.
Not sure yet what we’re going to do with my place long term moving forward, but I guess we’ll work it out when we need to.
I walk across to the car where Philippe is standing waiting for me with the back door open. “Good afternoon, Miss Sorenson.” He smiles.
“Hello, Philippe, thank you.” I slink into the back seat. “What a day.”
“Yes, it’s really coming down out there.”
As the car drives through the rain in Nice, I open my phone and begin to scroll through Instagram. I need to get used to this drive.
EDWARD
I read the email.
“Mr. Prescott, Laurent is here for his appointment with Miss Sorenson.”
“Just show him up to the upper-level living room and ask him to set up there.” I keep typing. “Can everyone help bring in anything he needs carried.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Close my door on the way out, please.”
As they leave me alone, I keep working for another hour and my office door slowly opens and I glance up, Alora peeks around the doorjamb. “Hi.”
Just the sight of her brings a smile to my face and I slide my chair out and tap my lap. “Hello, Miss Sorenson.”
She walks in, sits down and I wrap my arms around her. She kisses me softly and puts her head down onto my shoulder. “How long until you finish?”
“At least another hour.”
“Hmm,” she grumbles. “I’m going to go upstairs and soak in the bath, I’m so tired.”
“Have you forgotten something?” I kiss her temple.
“What?” She looks up at me.
“Someone is coming to see you tonight?”
“Who?”
“Laurent, the stylist.”
“Oh god.” She screws up her face. “I’m way too tired to try on clothes tonight. Can we reschedule, please?”
I put my mouth to her ear and whisper to try and soften the blow, “He’s upstairs already.”
“What?”
“They’ve been carrying clothes inside in the rain for over an hour.”
“Oh god.” She throws her hands over her eyes. “I don’t even want to go to these stupid things on the weekend.”
“You’re going.” I tap her behind. “Upstairs now and get it over with.”
“Edward.” She sighs.
“What would you like for dinner, I’ll order and have it ready for when you’re finished.”
“I guess if I had to pick…” she rolls her eyes, “…chocolate cake.”
I smile and kiss her big, beautiful lips. “Go do this and I’ll have a chocolate cake waiting.”
“I’m not trying anything on. I’m just picking any old thing.” She stands.
“Okay.” I turn back to my computer. “Luckily, dressing in old things seems to be your jam. But don’t complain to me on the weekend when you have nothing to wear to two black tie functions.”
“Ugh…. This is a literal hell,” she whines. “Going out with you is becoming very high maintenance.” She stomps to the door. “And this is a real hassle that I don’t have time for,” she moans as she leaves.
I chuckle, only Alora Sorenson would complain about designer clothes waiting for her with a stylist.
She’s one of a kind, I’ll give her that.
ALORA
Edward smiles as he looks me over, his eyes dropping to my toes and back up to my face. “You look beautiful.” He takes my face in his hands and kisses me, his lips lingering over mine.
“I feel like a peacock.”
“A beautiful peacock.”
It’s Friday night and we’re about to leave for the ball, a hairdresser has been in and styled my hair in big Hollywood curls and a makeup artist came and did my makeup.
I’m wearing a strapless ice-pink gown and I know I should feel beautiful, but in reality, I feel like a fish out of water.
My hair is too bouffant and my makeup looks like a drag queen. I feel overdone and awkward.
“I’m doing my own hair and makeup from now on.”
“Okay.” He smiles down at me. “Why did you even get them to do it in the first place?”
“Laurent told me to.”
“Well, Laurent is used to dealing with nightmares who need glamming up.” He kisses me again. “You can’t enhance perfection.”
“You’re so biased.” I smile up at him and slide my hands under his black suit jacket. “Luckily for me.”
“Let’s have a glass of wine and then get going.”
“Okay, I need some Dutch courage.”
“Are you nervous?” He frowns.
“I guess.”
“Why?”
“Well.” I shrug. “It’s my first time out with you as a….”
“Girlfriend?” He picks up my hand and kisses my fingertips.
“At all,” I reply. “We haven’t done anything in public and now I’m coming out of the closet as a girlfriend.”
“Out of the closet?” He chuckles. “You sure do have a way with words, my love.” His eyes glow with tenderness.
“You don’t need to worry about tonight. Nobody that I know personally will be there.
It’s a work function only, one of my board members asked me to go and in good faith I wanted to be there for him. ”
“So no…” I widen my eyes, “…women from the past?”
“No.”
I smile, feeling a little bit better. “What about the party tomorrow night at the prince’s house?”
“Prepare yourself for that one, straight into the fire.” He fills our champagne glasses and passes me one. “Your initiation into Monaco.” He clinks his glass with mine and winks. “It will be fun.”
I fake a smile as dread fills me.
Great….
Chatter, laughter, and a grand soiree.
Edward’s having a great time and me…. Well, I’m standing beside him as he does.
I smile on cue as he chats and laughs, I’m physically by his side but not mentally here.
Not one person has spoken to me all night.
Not one.
I’m the handbag, here for show.
And it’s not his fault, he’s holding my hand and introducing me to everyone and trying his best to include me. But after the introduction, the conversation goes straight to him and work subjects that I know nothing about.
As the hours tick over I have this sinking feeling about the party tomorrow.
How the hell am I going to get through a night with all his exes in the same room, at the same party? Him knowing everyone and me knowing not a soul.
And I don’t want to be that girlfriend that demands he stand beside me all night; I want him to have fun and see his friends and talk and socialize.
But what do I do while he does that?
Do I just stand there awkwardly like I am tonight…. Hoping and praying that we can go home soon?
Fuck….
The people he is talking to finally leave us alone.
“You alright?” he asks softly.
“Yep.” I force a smile, an abysmal lie but whatever.
“Are you having fun?”
“Uh-huh.” More than anything I know that it’s not Edward’s job to make me feel comfortable in his world. I need to work this out for myself, and I’m not going to beg him to take me home early every time we go out.
I love him, I want this to work and I need to suck it up and learn to love this life.
“Do you want to go home?” he asks softly.
“Whenever you’re ready.” I smile.
“That smile didn’t touch your eyes,” he murmurs. “Why are you lying?”
Unexpected emotion fills me and I get a lump in my throat as my eyes hold his.
Because if I tell you the truth, that I hate this world…where does that leave us?
My eyes well with tears and I drop my head to hide them.
“Doe,” he says softly. “It will be okay, sweetheart. You’ll get used to it.”
I nod. “I know.”
He puts his mouth to my ear. “I love you.”
“I know.” I blink away the tears and kiss his cheek. “I love you too.”
That’s the only reason I’m here…believe me.
He squeezes my hand in his. “Another hour and we can go.”
The car trip home is made in silence. I stare out the window into the darkness.
As if sensing my inner mental breakdown, Edward is watching his words. Or maybe he’s just second-guessing his life choices too.
I had the worst night tonight…. Like really bad.
I felt like an outsider, a spectator to a glamorous life that I don’t belong in…and Edward knows it, and there’s not a damn thing he can say to make me feel any better because this isn’t a him problem, this is a me problem that only I can fix.
The car pulls up at the marina and we climb out, he takes my hand in his and we walk up the dock with the guards trailing behind us.
I mean, what the actual hell is wrong with me?
I’m with my dream man, who lives the dream life, who is the absolute love of my life and here I am upset because I felt left out at a glamorous event.
Wake the fuck up, Alora. You spoiled little witch.
“Miss Sorenson.” Philippe smiles as we walk across the gangplank.
“Good night, Philippe, thank you.” I smile as I walk onto the yacht.
“Thank you,” Edward says. “We can depart when ready.”
“Yes, sir.”
We go out to sea overnight, every night. Apparently it’s safer out there. From what, I don’t know. It’s not like there’s a boogie-man waiting to get us or anything. In honesty, I think all this money has made Edward paranoid. He’s imagining danger that doesn’t even exist.
We walk inside and I put my purse down. “Would you like a nightcap, Doe?”
“No.” I just need to go to bed and sleep off this depressing entitled little bitch mood I’m in. “I’m tired, babe.” I go to walk upstairs and Edward pulls me back by the hand to him.
“You okay?”
“Yeah.” I nod, tears threaten. “I don’t want you worrying about it.”
“Talk to me.”
“I just…” I shrug, not even sure how to answer, “…I feel like a duck out of water and….”
“And what?”
“Honestly.” I throw my hands up. “I guess I’m dreading tomorrow night and I think maybe you should go by yourself and I’ll just wait here at home for you.”
His eyes hold mine.
“I want you to have a good time, I don’t want you worrying about me, Edward.”
“I want you in my world, Doe.”
“I know.” Tears do break the dam this time and I swipe them away, embarrassed. “I’m sorry…. I don’t know why I’m being so dramatic about this. I knew it was going to be hard in the beginning.”
“Look.” He pulls me into his arms. “Why don’t you bring a friend to the party tomorrow night?”
“I don’t want to be a burden.”
“No burden at all. They could come here for a drink first and we can go together and then at the party you will have someone to talk besides me, someone who has your back.”
“Really?” I smile hopefully. “Would that be okay?”
“Yes, of course. Invite a friend who’s fun and friendly and who can help you relax and meet new people.”
“That would be amazing.” I smile. “Thank you.”
“Now, I’m going to ask you again. Would you like a nightcap?”
“No. But I’ll take your dick in the shower.”
“Excellent plan.” He grabs my hand and leads me upstairs. “The ultimate nightcap.”
EDWARD
“Miss Sorenson has a friend joining us tonight,” I tell the guard on the marina.
“Yes, sir.”
“Just show them in when they get here.”
I walk inside as Alora walks down the stairs and holy fuck.
I let out a low whistle of appreciation.
She’s in a black strapless tight minidress with her long legs on display. Sky-high strappy black stilettos, her long dark hair is loose and bouncy and she’s wearing my favorite red lipstick. “You look fucking hot.” I grab her roughly. “Maybe we should both stay home.”
“You like?”
I turn her around so that her back is to me and I bend her over. “I fucking love.” I bounce her off my hips and feel myself harden. “I’m not even joking, let’s go upstairs and fuck.”
“Edward.” She laughs and swats me away. “Behave yourself.”
“Yes. This way.” We hear a voice. “They’re expecting you.”
I turn to see Thomas Stone walk through the door. “What the fuck are you doing here?” I demand.
“I invited him,” Alora replies.
“Wait.” Thomas’s eyes flick between the two of us. “You didn’t tell him?”
“What do you mean?” I growl.
“He’s the friend I’m bringing tonight. You said I could invite someone fun and friendly to help me meet new people. This is who I chose.”
“Over my dead body.”